After only a year of travel blogging, this guy was able to earn money through his website which is currently his primary source of income. He gave up a high-paying job just so he could travel and he’s been living in Southeast Asia for over 6 months now.

Episode 6 of my Podcast Interview

Flip of FlipNomad.com

An anonymous travel blogger of FlipNomad.com, I’m happy that Flip agreed to have this interview. I had a number of questions I wanted to clarify with his lifestyle as, more or less, it’s the same path I’m planning to pursue in the future.

Travel bloggers I’ve met all have a passion for travelling, but Flip somehow stood out and I was even caught off guard when he said he was willing to give up his blog in order to continue this passion.

What is your primary goal why you set up your travel blog?

I built my blog to monetize on it. I’ve read that some people are earning some good money from blogging about their travels so that’s what I did. I want to duplicate that kind of business model as well because my goal is to travel continuously and it’s very impossible to do it if I’m stuck in an office. So I have to find a way on how to earn money online and travel blogging is one of the things that I think I can do successfully.

Coron, Palawan

I’ve been blogging for almost 2 years. On the first year, it wasn’t earning money at all but after the first year, the earnings started pouring in. It helped me go back on the road and it’s actually financing my travels now.

What do you do outside blogging?

I travel. I go to places. I go to small restaurants to eat and try their local food. Sometimes I drink. Maybe you’re looking for an answer about work. I’m not sure. I’m not working, I’ve been unemployed for almost a year now.

Why be anonymous?

First, the blog was meant to be monetized, not as a personal diary. That’s why I don’t feel the need to show my face. Second is since it was built to be monetized, I was thinking of probably transferring it to another owner by selling it or probably hiring multiple authors that can take care of the blog.

If the blog is associated with one person, it will be very difficult to transfer it to another. So more than establishing myself as a blogger, I’m establishing FlipNomad as a brand.

Beijing, China

You really promote the Philippines to your readers…

Cause I want to invite people to go to the Philippines. A lot of travellers that I’ve met have a lot of negative perceptions about the country and if they will just take some time, see the country for themselves and meet a lot of Filipinos, I think their negative perception about the country will change.

You’re willing to give up FlipNomad just to travel?

Yes.

Sapa, Vietnam

Are there any tips you’d like share to those who are hesitant to go out and explore the world?

I think more than seeing unique structures in different countries or places, or trying out different local cuisines, traveling helps a person broaden his mind when it comes to understanding other people. There’s a lot of things to learn that you can only learn by traveling; and it’s fun, it’s fun to visit places as well. You really don’t have to fly outside the country to experience that. So go out there and explore, especially the Philippines and write about it. Let’s help invite more tourists to our country.

————–

By the way, I’m preparing for my own adventure next year which is a big step for me to go out of my comfort zone. Being dependent on other people and without any idea about a single trip travel insurance when I normally travel, I need all the help I can get. The information he shared about backpacking in Southeast Asia such as getting a backpacking travel insurance without spending too much was very useful. I’m actually scared but excited at the same time.

soloflightEd.com is a travel blog by Edcel Suyo. He enjoys performing headstands and crazy stunts during his trips in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Now based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and working to earn a living, he takes time to enjoy the city and travel during weekends.
For updates, Like his page on Facebook or Follow him on Twitter.
For questions, advertising, and other concerns, shoot an email to ed@soloflighted.com.

Very inspiring!
I was more interested in finding out how he was able to monetize his blog and him getting offline jobs during his travels. It's also interesting to find out na he is willing to give up the blog in order to travel. Just goes to show how passionate he is to explore the globe. 😀
Nice one, Edcel!

i like the idea that flip blogs so he can travel more rather than the other way around. You can sense how passionate he is to explore the world. He echoes what just the new DOT Sec. Jimenez just said on Bottomline yesterday…"talk about the Philippines more" so we can encourage visitors to explore and experience our country. hope to meet Flip someday as well!
cheers!

thanks for the feature Ed
@Rob: i dont have an offline job as of now but on my last backpacking trip, nag tutor ako for a few months ng english for free food and accommodation and a little cash… these sites helped me find those opportunities: helpx.net, ajarn.com, saka mga online forums. 🙂 i also ask around sa mga long term backpackers na na meet ko sa road sa mga raket nila 🙂
@Ron; haha after a month or so I'm back in SG, kitakits ulit!!!
@AJ, @Lauren and @dongho: thanks for the kind words and thanks for taking some time to listen to this podcast 🙂

Wow, he is so influential for me. Being employed in a company with not-so-good benefits and salaries is like locking yourself up and can't even make yourself free. But flip had decided to go beyond his limitations and he is finally free. Nice interview! 🙂 I'm subscribing your blog now 🙂

Sya na ang peg ko! hehe
After procrastinating for half a year ata I finally decided to quit my job of 7 years to work full time from home so I'll have more time to travel. Seriously, it's not easy stepping out of my comfort zone lalo na wala akong savings haha pero the hell with it. It's the first step. I'm going on my first Indochina trip this November-December. I hope it pushes through though :p

@lawstude: thanks oman! still thinking about it a lot. hope to work on it next year. but yeah, you can probably travel too; there will come a time when all of us will aspire for more (even if we're already travelling a lot!).

@kat: 7 years ah? grabe. pero yeah, it's a challenge to go freelance or work at home. Flip's journey isn't a walk in the park even if he's earning money through his travel blog. but he's doing what he loves so it's already a good thing. lapit na ng November! good luck on that and hope to see you one the road! 😀

Very inspiring. I'm so happy that my jobs are all online kaya I can travel anytime din. Pero mas maganda pa rin if you can make money out of your blog. it's like hitting two birds with one stone. 🙂 congrats Ed for this interview!

@kat: tama nga naman, if love your job, you won't feel like working at all! in my case, there's that fear of uncertainty but 'I can always go back' whatever the case. I'll do it now while I'm still young and while I'm able. 😀

@Pinoy Travel Freak: great that you're earning money online too! Flip earns his money thru his blog but there are days when things are not running well. Really admirable what he had to sacrifice for the love of travelling. Thanks for listening! 😀

this post killed a part of the mysterious Flip. I'd like to thank Flip for always sharing helpful tips. Flip is one of my 1st and closest travel blogger friend after the Palaui boys and Mica, when we talk, you know it's "real talk". I think more than anyone in the blogosphere, i've somehow revealed most of my weaknesses to Flip yet he never gets tired of listening and helping me. and he's like that to all his travel blogger friends i think. funny but I somehow got used to just seeing his 1st logo ( na pinalitan na nya and i kinda miss that) and i don't rmmbr ever asking him for a meet up. nasanay na ako na anonymous xa and like he always say, we'll see each other on the road. i kinda feel na part of my blog's growth i owe to Flip, halos sabay kase kame nag-start mg-blog, kameng tatlo nila Gay. and most of the time I run to Flip for help before I met you guys. Lois and I were actually talking sa Rox and we just love Flip's interesting personality. I may not have met him yet, but he's one person i truly admire, my instinct tells me he is a good soul. I hope one day we'll finally meet, maybe not on the road, but maybe when we're both farmers somewhere down south. ayt Flip? 🙂
P.S. Sorry Ed, napahaba, na miss ko ang friendster! parang testimonial lang! haha

You have great mind to be able to feature Flipnomad. One of those dedicated individuals who will pursue his dreams and that is to travel kahit iwan niya pa ang Flipnomad..Pero sana hindi niya iwan..he could really help the Philippine Tourist to boost because of his works.
Tama, it's like hitting two birds in one stone..Ur enjoying traveling at kumikitang kabuhayan ka pa! lol 🙂 Your both works inspire us..Thanks Ed for this.

@chyng: yeah, I also thought that the reason behind the anonymity was because of something else. also, that's why I was stunned when he said "Yes" cause even I have that attachment already with my site. I think we all do.

@mitch: I'm really honored that Flip said yes with the podcast. thanks mitch, I appreciate you listening to this session! 😀

Flipnomad's the very first blog I get addicted to read! This is such a rare opportunity, two of my idols in traveling in one session! The best and most inspiring podcast session so far! And, yes, I am commenting almost 5 months after. LOL! I even downloaded the audio! More podcasts, Ed!